Transcendental Meditation – neuro-physiological transformation by way of a unique fourth state of consciousness

By Jaan Suurküla, M.D.

Published at the website of Swedish Physicians for Transcendental Meditation. URL of the web-document: http://home.swipnet.se/tmdoctors/eng/tmunique.htm

Introduction

Transcendental Meditation (TM) was introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi over 40 year ago as a technique for achieving the highest level of human development and self-actualization, so called higher states of consciousness or enlightenment.

More than 500 scientific studies indicate that TM has profound effects on the psychology and physiology. The results confirm that TM develops the nervous system in a profound way that is in accord with classical descriptions of enlightenment.

TM is not a relaxation technique

As one of TM's effects is deep rest and relaxation, it has been a common belief among psychologists that it is a kind of relaxation technique. However this is a misconception. Relaxation is just a "side effect" of TM.

Relaxation techniques are, by definition, methods for intentional relaxation of muscles. In contrast, the TM technique contains no elements of intentional control of any bodily organ including no intention to relax. It is a purely mental technique. So already by definition TM is not a relaxation technique.

In addition, as will be shown below, the effects of TM are much deeper than, and different from, what has been found in relaxation, autosuggestion including affirmation tecniques, self hypnosis, autogenic training and other common mental techniques.

1. Unique brain wave patterns

During the technique there is a state of deep rest. The oxygen consumption is as low as during deep sleep. Usually deep relaxation is associated with brain wave (EEG) signs of drowsiness or superficial sleep. But EEG during TM indicates a state of alertness in spite of the deep physiological rest (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). The EEG pattern is different from what is found during relaxation, self-hypnosis and hypnosis (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 47). This is especially pronounced during periods of experience of transcendental consciousness, a state of deep silence without any thoughts (13, 14, 15).

Comment: The conclusion of these studies is that TM causes the appearance of a specific state of consciousness, called the fourth state of consciousness, or transcendental consciousness. This state is physiologically clearly distinct from relaxation, hypnosis and other formerly known mental techniques.

2. Unique development of the functioning of the brain

a) Development of coherence: During TM the brain activity appears to be synchronised to a considerably greater extent than commonly. This appears as so-called EEG coherence that means that the peaks of the brain waves occur simultaneously in different parts of the brain. The extent of EEG coherence during TM increases the longer one has meditated and encompasses increased numbers of vawe frequencies, reflecting different aspects of the functioning of the brain, see the diagram below. In short, the more coherence, the more of white "crests" in the diagram.

This EEG coherence becomes more pronounced with time of practice (16, 17, 18, 19, 20). The EEG-coherence develops to a higher level during TM as well as in activity.

This coherence has been found to be correlated with different measures of the quality of the functioning of the brain, including intelligence and creativity as well as indicators of mental health (21, 22). This concurs with studies indicating development of intelligence in people above 20, which is beyond the age when the intelligence normally stops developing. (24, 25, 26)

b) More integrated style of brain functioning: Studies on the reaction of the brain waves to sensory stimuli, so called "Sensory Evoked Potentials (SEP)" indicate a significant change towards a more holistic way of functioning (23).

Usually a stimulus first causes an activity in the part of the brain that localizes the stimulus (primary sensory region). Then the brain-wave activity spreads to so-called secondary sensory regions that interpret the stimulus. In TM practitioners this two-step processing was found to be replaced by a single step where the primary and secondary regions were activated simultaneously. See image below:

This kind of functioning has never been found before in spite of several decades of SEP research.

Comment: According to many years of EEG research, the development of the brain waves stops around the age of 20. But this appears not to be case in those practicing TM. Most importantly, the nature of change is in the direction of growing coherence between different parts of the brain, indicating a high level of integration of brain activity, not commonly found in people not practicing TM.

The connection between intelligence, creativity and EEG-coherence indicates that this more orderly and integrated brain-wave pattern has a connection with a higher quality and efficency of the functioning of the brain. Likewise the SEP research indicates, from another angle, that TM develops the integration of brain activity.

So this research indicates, that TM provides a new, formerly unknown, possibility for profound improvement of the quality of brain functioning. Such effects have not been reported for any kind of relaxation, self-suggestion (affirmation techniques etc) or hypnosis.

Pronounced improvement of mental health 1: Healing of pathological defense mechanisms

TM has been found to have remarkable effects on psychological defense mechanisms indicating deep-seated disturbances.

According to psychology, the proneness to use psychological defense mechanisms in threatening situations is closely related to the presence of deeply seated memories of anxiety-provoking and otherwise traumatic or insecurity-causing experiences. Differently from secure and harmonious people who perceive the threat realistically and handle it adequately, the insecure person subconsciously mobilizes reality-distorting defense mechanisms. This predisposes for serious mistakes in highly stressful situations that require rapid and adequate responses. These disturbances are deeply ingrained and take many years to treat even with the best psychotherapy methods. When they heal, these "mental blinders" disappear.

A reliable and sensitive test for detecting defense mechanisms was developed by the Swedish Air force for selecting combat pilots. The effect of TM on Defense mechanisms was investigated in two studies (28). A preliminary study found improvements after one year of TM to an extent that in the best cases is achieved after 20-30 years of psychotherapy. A controlled study confirmed the preliminary result, see diagram below.

Comment: Healing of such profound disturbances as indicated by DMT-testing in such a short time has not been believed to be possible.

Nothing the like has been found with relaxation technique, autosuggestion/self-hypnosis/autogenic training and stress reduction techniques. According to extensive experience, these are causing, in the best case, some temporary reduction of anxiety and tensions. Their effect is mainly of a symptomatic nature, even if the ability to control symptoms may have some sustained positive effect.

But none of these methods act upon the underlying disturbances. These disturbances are the primary cause of stress-sensitivity (the associated insecurity causes a preparedness for perceiving situations as threatening). For more, see "Mental stress tolerance of Air force pilots effectively improved by TM"

Pronounced improvement of mental health 2: Vietnam War veterans

Some Vietnam veterans have suffered severe chronic psychological damage from their war experiences (so called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD). The effect of TM was investigated on a group of such cases compared to a group having psychotherapy (29).

Eight factors were monitored: alcohol abuse, emotional numbness, insomnia, anxiety, stress-symptoms related to shocking war experiences, family problems, depression and unemployment. Significant improvement in all factors occurred in the TM group while no improvement was found in the psychotherapy group.

Comment: It is well known in psychiatry that it is very difficult to heal the deep psychological wounds that are caused by severe war experiences. Consequently, Vietnam veteran PTSD cases are known to be notoriously resistant to common therapy methods.

This study indicates that TM provides completely new and effective means to heal severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder cases. This finding concurs well with the results of the DMT study.

As a consequence of the remarkably beneficial effects of TM, the US Veterans Administration now pays the TM courses of PTSD cases.

Pronounced improvement of mental health 3: Rehabilitation of criminals

Criminals represent another category where deep personality disturbances, very difficult to treat, are involved.

Several studies of the effect of TM on rehabilitation of criminals have yielded concurrent results. In one of the most important ones 241 severe male criminals were followed up during five years after parole (30). The recurrence rate was compared to a matched control group. At an average, 43% of the non-TM group had recurred, compared to 25% in the TM group.

In another study, the criminals were followed in 3,5 years after parole (31). The recurrence rate was 30% compared to 50 in four groups, each of them participating in one of following four programs: psychological counseling, drug abuse prevention and two personality development programs. There was also a significant psychological difference between the meditators and the other groups. In the TM group aggressions and mental disturbances decreased and personality development tests indicated improvement. In the other programs no significant changes occurred in these parameters, and there was no significant difference in recurrence between them and those who did not participate any rehabilitation at all.

Comment: It is a well-established fact in criminology that severe criminality is often associated with deep personality disturbances that have been very difficult, yes often impossible, to improve significantly with psychotherapy. The effects of TM on criminality concurs with the results of the DMT-research and the War Veteran study, confirming from a third perspective that TM has an effective normalizing influence on deeply ingrained personality disturbances. For more see "Transcendental Meditation and Offender Rehabilitation: A New Approach to Crime Prevention" . See also the experiences of offenders on probation at The enlightened Sentencing Project.

Theoretical considerations

It may seem surprising that a mental technique that is practised 20 minutes or so twice daily may give so remarkable effects. But the mentioned physiological studies indicate a possible explanation.

The key appears to be the specific state, Transcendental Consciousness, that is regularly experienced during TM practice. This state differs clearly from waking, dreaming and sleeping and has specific physiological and neuro-physiological characteristics, which is characterized by a high degree of orderliness, coherence and integration of the system.

"Learning" optimal brain circuitry

It seems reasonable to assume that the development that TM causes is due to a kind of "learning". A memory of a certain impression is learnt through repeated experience of the corresponding state in the nervous system. This causes changes (facilitation) that make it easier for nervous impulses to pass the connections (synapses) that were active in conjunction with the impression.

Similarly, the repeated experience of the specific state of Transcendental Consciousness apparently facilitates the nervous pathways that are active in this state. This is indicated by the observation that the EEG coherence first appearing during TM becomes more and more established outside TM practice.

Dissolution of traumatic memory pattern

This changed pattern of neuro-physiological functioning goes along with an extinction of the synaptic connection patterns associated with traumatic memories.

It may be speculated that the area in the brain called Amygdala is involved in this process. Amygdala has been found to be responsible for connecting all kinds of perceptual impressions associated with a trauma with the emotions experienced at that moment.

The dissociation between the painful emotional content of a traumatic event from the memory of associated impressions is the key element in the healing of psychological traumas.

Perhaps the connectivity patterns that are active in amygdala during TM get reinforced while the connectivity patterns associated with the traumatic memories get attenuated. - Perhaps they are mutually incompatible. This can only be speculated about as the neuro-physiology of these healing processes are incompletely known.

In any case, TM does not act through artificial manipulation of the psyche but through the influence of deep physiological rest associated with a state of highly coherent brain function that seems to replace a more or less chaotic, trauma-related connection pattern with a more and more orderly and integrated connection pattern in the brain.

This might explain why TM, in spite of its powerful therapeutic effects has no harmful side-effects. The best indicator of psychological safety of a method is their effect people in the most fragile psychological state, so called pre-psychosis. It was found that people in this state did not deteriorate, rather they improved at learning TM, see "The safety of the Transcendental Meditation Technique" at http://psrast.org/safety.htm.

Healing by establishing coherent functioning

Moreover, psychotherapy can, when successful, achieve only a dissociation between traumatic memories and corresponding emotions. But this does not automatically improve the general "wiring" or neural connection patterns in the brain associated with the disturbed way of functioning. Clinical experience seems to support this. It indicates that psychotherapy patients tend to remain sensitive and unstable, even after successful treatment.

Differently from psychotherapy, TM does not primarily address the problems, but works by strengthening healthy functioning. It establishes a highly integrated and coherent connectivity pattern that appears to be a stable basis for good mental health and high stress tolerance. The dissociation of traumatic memory connections appears to be a positive "side benefit" of this development.

Traumatic memory connection patterns are associated with pathological Defense Mechanisms, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as criminal personality disturbances. So here we have a common denominator that could explain the remarkable results of TM mentioned here.

The studies mentioned here are selected examples of a considerable number of studies about TM. The whole body of TM research actually points in the same direction from many different angles. It indicates that TM causes a deep transformation of the functioning of the whole system, physiological as well as psychological in the direction of increasing integration and dynamic balance.

Self-actualization

So far we have discussed pathological disturbances. The effect of TM does not stop at eliminating these. The purpose of TM is to develop full self-actualization.

In this state the deep peace of transcendental consciousness is present along with the normal waking state. This is, according to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the result of regular experience of transcendental consciousness leading to increasing coherence and integration of brain function. It is described as a state of immovable and permanent inner peace along with dynamic activity.

This has recently been confirmed in a study by Dr Fred Travis. He found that 17 people who had developed this state of consciousness functioned differently from 34 controls without this state. The former had an ability to keep the brain in a minimum level of activity unless required, while the brains of the others were in a permanent state of excitation. For more, see "Pioneering Study Quantifies Brain Wave Patterns During Higher Human Functioning". Also, the brains in higher states of consciousness showed a higher level of coherence. This is the first time that science has confirmed the age-old descriptions of higher states of consciousness.

Psychologically, full self-actualization, that is higher states of consciousness, is difficult to imagine without having had the experience. Even the best time one can ever have in ordinary states of consciousness is incomparably less fulfilling than self-actualization. There is a permanent state of bliss that cannot be overshadowed by any experience along with an immovable inner serenity and peace. Along with this is a strong all-encompassing love. Brain functioning is highly coherent and fully integrated. This gives rise to the great clarity of mind, high level of ingenious creativity and deep intuition, described since thousands of years in enlightened persons.

Conclusion

The research indicates that TM gives rise to a unique state of consciousness characterized by deep rest and highly integrated neuro-physiological functioning. Repeated experience of this state ingrains an increasingly integrated and coherent manner of brain function.

This well documented neuro-physiological development heals psychological scars, apparently dissociating the connections between perceptual and painful emotional components of traumatic memories (thereby eliminating the associated fear and anxiety). This results in a healthy and deeply harmonious way of functioning, an optimization of the performance of the brain.

This development leads to the highest levels of human development, the higher states of consciousness of full self-actualization. Neurophysiologically they are charactherized by the presence of the high coherence of transcendental consciousness along with ordinary states of consciousness.

This profound neuro-physiological transformation distinguishes TM from relaxation techniques, auto-suggestion, self-hypnosis, hypnosis and various kinds of stress management techniques that act on a superficial, symptomatic level. Also, as TM differs in essential aspects from other meditation techniques, there is no scientific basis for assuming that these results are valid for them.

Finally, it needs to be pointed out that Transcendental Meditation is not a new invention. It is based on ancient Vedic knowledge and extensive experience of developing deep harmony and higher states of consciousness. The facts presented here confirm the advanced level of this knowledge.

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